Nauticat 38 vs Nicholson 38 | Two Classic Ketches Compared | A Solo Sailor Steps Aboard Maja

Steven sails a Camper & Nicholsons Nicholson 38 ketch — solo, time-rich, money-poor. For one week he came aboard Maja, our 1982 Nauticat 38 pilothouse motorsailer. We stood on the pier in front of Maja and compared the two boats. You only see the Nicholson in a still photo. The talk is about what the Nauticat feels like when you already know a 38-foot ketch. What we cover: • How the Nauticat 38 sails next to a Nicholson 38 (about 6 knots versus about 5) • Why the enclosed pilothouse adds weight, cost and winter capability • Why Steven once looked at a Nauticat 33 and bought the Nicholson instead • Hydrovane on a semi-long keel and skeg — set in minutes, then it just worked • Twin 300-litre tanks with separate feeds, bow thruster, windage • Redundancy for a solo sailor • Canaries, Barbados — or north, with a diesel heater and now air conditioning We are not racing. Six knots anywhere is plenty. Maja is a 1982 Siltala Nauticat 38, hull 156. Home port Sandefjord. Filmed in Spain. Sailing Maja — Beyond the Hamster Wheel. Helping people over 50 leave the wheel while they still can. Chapters 0:00 A week on the Nauticat 38 0:35 Camper & Nicholsons Nicholson 38 1:04 Why not a Nauticat 33 1:32 Time-rich, money-poor 1:44 Ketch versus ketch 2:16 Hydrovane first test 3:24 Semi-long keel and skeg 3:38 Reversing and windage 4:10 Twin fuel tanks 4:46 Canaries and Barbados 5:07 Built to go north 5:47 Six knots is enough 6:00 Redundancy 6:27 Lunch #Nauticat38 #Nicholson38 #Motorsailer #Pilothouse #Hydrovane #SailingAfter50 #Liveaboard